Who was missing from the Game of Thrones season 7 trailer, and what could it mean?

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for season 7 of Game of Thrones

The first full trailer for season 7 was released last week, and all of us at WiC have spent the time since freeze-framing our way through every available shot, desperately trying to cobble together a full loaf from a handful of breadcrumbs. Did we finally catch a glimpse of Casterly Rock? Who will triumph in the battle of the giant maps? Most importantly, what was Arya looking for under that bed? Her keys? A discarded face? Gendry? Answers on a postcard, please.

While it’s delightful to finally see some footage from the upcoming season, the trailer was marked by quite a number of notable absences. We check in with some of the characters who didn’t make the cut, you know, just to check that they’re doing okay, and aren’t feeling too left out. Poor souls.

The Sand Snakes

Has another image ever summed up how the majority of us fans feel about the Sand Snakes than the one above? I personally identify with Obara’s face — that’s how I always look when I’m watching two Sand Snakes attempt a conversation.

Although we saw Ellaria Sand getting up close and smoochy with Yara Greyjoy (does Gemma Whelan’s contract obligate her to kiss someone in every trailer now? I’ll let you guys decide), we didn’t see hide nor hair of Obara, Tyene and Nymeria Sand, Oberyn Martell’s bastard daughters. But where Ellaria goes, the Sand Snakes are bound to follow, and they’ll no doubt be doing everything they can to assist her as she seeks her heart’s desire: bloody revenge.

Last season, the show seemed to demonstrate some self-awareness when it featured the Sand Snakes in only two of 10 episodes, and ensured that they were hastily silenced by a grieving Olenna Tyrell. Could season 7 be the moment when the Sand Snakes escape their confines and finally impress us? Probably not, but it can’t hurt to dream.

Bronn and Podrick

Has another image ever summed up how the majority of us fans feel about Bronn and Tyene Sand’s weird flirtation than this one? We are all Podrick Payne in this picture.

As we know, the most loyal squire in Westeros is currently in the service of Brienne of Tarth. While we saw the good lady herself in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shot at Winterfell, faithful Podrick was nowhere to be seen. What does it mean? Probably nothing, and it’s likely that Pod is standing guard just out of shot, but part of me — the part that knows how much Thrones loves to squeeze our hearts for every last drop — immediately started to worry that Podrick is soon to meet his maker. Could it be? The whores of King’s Landing would mourn from dawn to dusk.

As for Bronn, a minor character who has enjoyed a surprising amount of longevity on the show considering his lack of overall importance, he was also a no-show in the trailer. However, we all know that Bronn’s current meal ticket is Jaime Lannister, and as Jaime’s time in the trailer was spent entirely by Cersei’s side, it’s no surprise that our favorite cutthroat didn’t make an appearance.

The one thing Podrick and Bronn have in common is that they’re both outlier characters who are very popular among fans, so while we could lose one of them this year, I’d be very surprised if both bit the dust.

Jim Broadbent’s Mystery Character

Not too long ago, Jim Broadbent revealed some details about the character he’s playing in season 7. He confirmed that he will be taking on the role of an archmaester in the Citadel of Oldtown, that he appears in five episodes, and that he shares a number of ‘major’ scenes with Samwell Tarly.

It sounds like Broadbents has a meaty role in the upcoming season. As Sam will no doubt be on the lookout for information that can help Jon Snow in the impending fight against the White Walkers, it could be that Broadbent’s as-of-yet unnamed character holds the key to a massive, helpful discovery. In any case, we’re excited to see this decorated thespian thread the boards in the biggest show in the universe.

Sam, Gilly and Little Sam

From one maester to a maester-in-training, I was sad to see that the trailer didn’t offer us any insight into the adventures of Sam, Gilly and Little Sam as they traverse the strange land of the Citadel. Sam heads into season 7 in a very precarious position — although he’s settled in the Citadel as a trainee maester, he also stole his father’s beloved sword, Heartsbane, from Horn Hill on what turned out to be a flying visit. If we know Randyll Tarly, he won’t take Sam’s insubordination lying down, and may decide to ride to Oldtown and confront his eldest son.

Aside from a potential run-in with Lord Tarly, what we’re most excited for Sam to do is discover more about the White Walkers, and potentially Jon Snow, who with his royal father and recent resurrection is the current hot favorite to snag the title of ‘Prince that was Promised.’ Keep reading, Samwell Tarly, but don’t forget to check in with us next time.

Euron Greyjoy

The King of Ugly Crowns may have been absent from the trailer, but his presence was definitely felt. We got our first glimpse of the imposing black sails of his infamous ship, the Silence, which is manned by a crew of mutes. It all sounds vaguely Pirates of the Caribbean, but George R.R. Martin got there first. Poor show, Bruckheimer.

As we and many other sites have already pointed out, shots in the trailer include a burning ship and a very concerned Theon Greyjoy standing before what looks like a large fire. With Euron rankled by his niece and newphew’s escape, and desperate for vengeance, is it possible that we’ll see a Greyjoy vs Greyjoy sea battle as Daenerys Targaryen’s fleet makes its way towards Dragonstone? Watch this space.

Olenna Tyrell

Oh, Lady Olenna. We last saw the wonderful Queen of Thornes in Dorne, where she was understandably upset, and not just because she was in Dorne. With Mace, Loras and her beloved Margaery dead, Olenna is on the warpath and determined to make Cersei suffer for her crimes against her family.

I have to admit, I was really hoping to see Olenna in the trailer because one of my pet dreams is that we’ll get to see a conversation between her and Jaime in the upcoming season. I’d love nothing more than to see Olenna tear through Jaime’s unaffected façade and hit him with some hard truths about Cersei (honestly, anything to send him running away from King’s Landing and into Brienne’s arms), but the trailer was completely Olenna-free, which is never a good thing. Come on, D&D, there are only two seasons left, and we need as much Olenna Tyrell as we can get.

Bran and Meera

Who’s missing the cutest couple North of the Wall? I know I am. When the first trailer for season 6 aired last year, I was so glad to see Bran that I did a happy dance. That dance was, sadly, denied to me this year, as neither Bran nor Meera were anywhere to be found in that 1:49 adrenaline fest. Also, because I was sitting on a bus when I watched the trailer. Dancing would have been difficult.

Of all the absences in the trailer, Bran’s absence is the most notable. When we last left him in season 6, he was the sole owner of a truth bomb more shocking than any you’ve seen on the Maury Povich show. Ned Stark, you are not the father, but only young Brandon knows. As for Meera, she joined the most illustrious of clubs last year when she killed a White Walker with a dragonglass spear. These two make for an impressive pair.

Bran approaches the Wall with the potential to be the most powerful man in Westeros, as he possesses the ability to tap into the world’s most valuable commodity: secrets. With only seven episodes to get through and a whole lot of greenseeing to be done, it’s possible that Bran will spend most of his season plugged into a weirwood for some high-def downloading. Let’s hope he manages to fit in some family time.

The Night King (and the White Walkers)

The Night King and his cold, blue eyes have been omnipotent in almost all of the promotional material we’ve seen for season 7 so far, from the crumbling sigils promo to the official poster released by HBO. Yet he was a complete no-show in the new trailer. How strange.

Well, maybe it’s not so strange. As with most terrifying villains in fiction, the key to the White Walkers’ gift for terror is mystery. Currently, we know that they can be defeated by Valyrian steel and obsidian, but otherwise, we have precious little information to go on, which only heightens their power for the audience. Though the Night King and his generals were never on screen in the trailer, like Euron, their presence is felt, with several shots focusing on a group of people, led by Jon Snow, wearing wildling gear and apparently north of the Wall.

It is likely, though not guaranteed, that HBO has one more trailer up its sleeve before the season debuts on July 16, which means there’s still potential for all of these characters to show up for a sneak peak before the action begins. If not, there are only eight weeks left, even though the wait seems longer than a Westerosi winter.

What absent character (or characters) would you have liked to see in the trailer?

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